New Academic Health Science Centre designation for Bristol Health Partners

Bristol Health Partners is now one of only eight designated Academic Health Science Centres (AHSCs) in England. The new AHSC will drive service change, leading to world-class health, clinical and economic outcomes across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG).

The AHSC designation by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), NHS England and NHS Improvement builds upon Bristol Health Partners’ current successes in research, innovation, education and training and recognises the outstanding local collaborations between academia, public health, the NHS, social care and the voluntary and community sector that the Partnership has created across BNSSG.

Bristol Health Partners AHSC involves 11 organisations:

• Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
• Bristol City Council
• NHS Blood and Transplant
• NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group
• North Bristol NHS Trust
• North Somerset Council
• Sirona care & health
• South Gloucestershire Council
• University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
• University of Bristol
• University of the West of England

Andrea Young, Chair of the Bristol Health Partners AHSC Board and David Wynick, Director of the Bristol Health Partners AHSC jointly commented:

“The importance of collaboration across research, health and social care has never been greater than we have seen with COVID-19. From the rapid creation of the NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol to supporting national testing and vaccine trials, the strength of these partnerships is reflected in how local expertise and resources are coming together in response to COVID-19.

“We should be proud of the outstanding local partnerships we have created and our resulting recognition as a national centre of excellence.

“As an AHSC, we will strengthen our ability to unite our excellence in health and care provision, research and innovation, education and training to deliver healthier lives, through better prevention of illness and disease. We will work together to develop and deliver novel, evidence-based treatments and health and care innovations across BNSSG, promoting best practice to improve outcomes for our local population.”

Over the next five years, Bristol Health Partners AHSC will be focusing on six key areas including:

• public health and prevention
• mental health and neuroscience
• cardiovascular science
• surgical innovation
• perinatal, reproductive and children’s health
• delivering integrated, optimal and equitable care across BNSSG

Bristol Health Partners AHSC will also work closely with and is nested within the West of England Academic Health Science Network, focusing on health and care related research, education and training. The partnership will continue to support the integration and combined efforts of the local National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) infrastructure such as the Applied Research Collaboration West, the Bristol Biomedical Research Centre and the Clinical Research Network West of England.

Involving members of the public is a key priority for the partnership, to empower people who use health and social care services, provide a route to influencing change and improvement in issues which concern people most.